Oil-well pumping jack



wmw J. M. WOLFE on, WELL PUMPING JACK Filed Sept. 5, 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 mm. M, 1924.

J. M. WOLFE OIL WELL PUMPING JACK Au my 119%. 1,504,299

J. MxWOLFE OIL WELL PUMPING JACK Filed Sept. 5, 192 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 12, W24.

inure JOHN M. WOLFE, 033. OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

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LEM-3% rarnur it? Q OIL-WELL PUIVJIEING JACK.

5 Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Well Pumping Jacks, of which.

the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in oil-well pumping apparatus, and particularly to improvements in what are commonly called pumping-jacks. Heretofore it has been common, in the construction of pumpingrigs for oil-wells, to erect a pair of uprights or standards, which are known, among oil-producers and others engaged in the operation of pumping machinery in the oil regions, as, samsomposts, and in the upper ends of which there is supported, free to rock or swing, a beam designated as the kick-beam and pivotally fastened to the upper end of the .polish-rod-carrying pitman. lit is an object of this invention to simplify pumping-jack construction by the elimination of such samson-posts and kickbeam, that is, toprovide a pumping-rig that will be both post-free and beam free. An other feature of this invention resides in the provision of a support in the form of a plate (hereinafter called the sole-plate or baseplate) upon which the pumping-jack V is mounted, free to rock, and to which the pitman is connected by a system of links and levers. The point of attachment of the latter system to the sole-plate is maintained at a given predetermined distance from the axis of rotation of the V, whereby it is ensured that the arrangement of parts willremain as fixed upon initially. Still another feature of this invention lies in the provision of a novel and much simplified arrangement of parts by means of which the polish-rod is given a reciprocating motion in the vertical or a true perpendicular. Other features of this invention will appear hereinafter as the description of the novel oil-pumping apparatus proceeds, and they will be particularly pointed out and set forth in the claims that form a part of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of this invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the pumping'jack;

Fig. 2 is a plan thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail in section on the line 33, of Fig. 1, and illus trates, in plan, the sole-plate and parts therewith connected; Fig. 4L is a detail in section on the line 4 4, of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale, and illustrates the pivot of the V; Fig. 5 is a front-end view of the pumpingjack, looking in the direction of the arrow C inFig. 1; Fig. 6 is a rear-end view of the pumping-jack, looking in the direction of the arrow D in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a detail showing the pull-rod loop in plan; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of an old-style pumping-jack structure in which are embodied parts of the pumping-jack disclosed herein and hereby; Fig. 9 is a detail that illustrates in planthe cross-support for the kick-beam shown in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a detail that illustrates, in front elevation, the manner in which the lower end of the pitman is supported in Fig. 8.

As is common. in this type of pumping apparatus, there is provided a double (or twosection) frame A having a triangular shape and known, in the parlance and nomenclature of oil-producers, as a vee (or V). Each section of the frame A comprises a post or upright a, a base-member a, and a brace a" that extends obliquely and downwardly from the upper end of the post or leg at to the outer (or well) end of the base-member a, and is fastened to each of the members a, a. The lower end of each of the upright members a is firmly fastened to one of a pair of rocker-arms 5 (Figs. 1 and 4) that are carriedby and extend from a rock-shaft c; and the inner, end of each of the horizontally-disposed base-membersa is similarly secured to. one of the same pair of rockerarms 6, which are flat or platelike in shape and form lateral walls or cheeks of a socketlike member Z)", from which the ends 0" of the rock shaft 0 project after the manner of t1;'unnions'(see Figs. 1 to 4, both inclusive, in Figs. 1 to 3 of which the uprights a and base-members a are shown to be angle-iron parts). These rockshaft ends or trunnions 0 rest in shaft-bearings 0* that are formed in the bifurcated end d of the sole-plate cl, in the other end of which there is formed an eye cZ through which a pin 6 is passed into the foundation 6 of concrete or other prepared material that underlies the sole-plate d and supports the structure. Other pins I e passedthrough holes d in the sole-plate rear edge-portions h of a pair of bent plates h, which edge-portions lie pressed tightly together. As these plates h extend outwardly (that is,,towards the oil-well B),

' arms "0 swinging on the pivot-pin 0.

they are bent so that they diverge or flare away from each other and then are bent again so they extend parallel to each other (Figsf2 and 5). Together the plates h form a'bracket or support for the polish-rod adjuster 70, as will presently be described. lach plate It is formed with a "slot it through which passes an adjusting bolt 71 that holdsin place the downwardly extendingtlange j of a recessed adjuster-bearing In the semicircular seats or hollows j of these adjuster-bearings j, which together .30

constitute. a sort of a saddle, there rides a polish-rod adjuster 7a. through which passes the polish rodrn of the oilewellpumping mechanism. The adjuster 7c, polish-rod m,

casing-head n and well-casing n are so well known to all persons skilled 1n this art as to make utterly unnecessary a more detailed reference to these parts.

Between the upright members a of the V A, there'is mounted, free to swing, a pair of lever-arms or crank-arms 0 that extend side by side and upwardly and rear wardly, from a commonhollow rock-shaft 0 that turns between the webs a* of the angle-iron uprights a. and upon the pivot-pin 0 that passes, transversely therethrough and serves as aifulcruni for the'rocker-arms or lever- See Figs. land 6. 'Pivotally fastened at p be tweenthe crank-arms 0, is one end of a turn buckle p the other end of which is bifur- .catedor clevis-like and is pivotallyfastened at p to an upstanding rib or flange 9 that projects vertically from the soleplate d and extends centrally and lengthwise thereof. The upper, rear ends of the lever-arms 0 are pivotallyfastened, by a pin 0*, to the lower, rear end 0"" of'a link-rod or connecting-rod 1' that lies between them. This end 0 is in the form of a connection-piece or coupling that is threaded at z and is screwed into the body of the rod 1- (Fig. 1). Screwed into the other 3 end of the latter is another coupling or connection-piece W, the shank of which isthreaded at z and the bifurcated end 7 or which is pivotally fastened, as at 'r, to the webs g of the angle-irons 9 that form the body-part of the pitman g. The screw-threads a, 2, are reverse with relation to each other, so that, by turning the rod '2", its effective length between the pivots 1", 0*, may be changed, after the manner of a turnbuckle.

Mounted upon the upper ends of the uprights a of the V A is a pull-block .9 (Figs. 1 and 7) formed with horizontally-extending grooves s in its front face. These grooves s are adapted and designed to receive a loop t that is attached to one end of the pull-rod t commonly used in pumping-rigs.

When, by means of any power apparatus commonly used to drive oil-well pumpingjacks (e. 9., the common eccentric apparatus), a pull is exerted, in the direction of the arrow T of Fig. 1, upon the pull-rod 2, the V A will be swung rearwardly into the position indicated in Fig. 1 by the dot-anddash lines; and the pitman will move upwardly, into the position indicated by like lines in the same figure. Owing to the guiding action of the system of elements comprising the rod 1, the crank-arms 0 and the turnbuckle p, the path of travel of the pivotpin n" will coincide almost exactly with the the perpendicular or vertical, as will also the path of movement of the polish-rod 122. By changing the effective lengths of the turnbuckle p and rod 1, by turning their body-parts on their longitudinal axes, in a manner well understood, a fine adjustment of the movement of the pin 1" in the vertical may be effected. When the pull on the rod 25 ceases, the V A and the parts therewith connected will be restored to their initial position (shown by full lines in Fig. 1), by reason of the weight of the long pump-rod and of other pump-parts and of the oil in the well-casing, which weight acts to pull the polish-rod m downwardly towards the well-tubing n.

I regard the provision of the sole-plate (Z as an important feature of this invention. For any given length of stroke of the pitman 9, the distance between the turnbucklepivot p and the V-pivot bearings 0*, at the axis of the same, may be figured and accurately determined, and the dimension so determined may be embodied in the sole-plate d, in such manner that the dimension is fixed absolutely beyond possibility of change due to the vicissitudes of service or any other cause, with the result that the pumping-jack will operate just as designed and planned, the paths of travel of the pitman g and the polish-rod m being parallel and coinciding substantially with the. perpendicular.

The pitman g and the connecting-rod a" of the pumping-jack herein and hereby disclosed may be used with advantage for the replacement, respectively, of the pitman and the so-called kick beam (otherwise known as the walking-beam and as the rock-beam) of a well-known and very old type of pumping jack. Such a substitution or replacement is illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, wherein there are shown (in somewhat lighter lines than are used for the illustration of the substituted pitman g and connecting-rod 1) the old-time Samson-posts u, and the braces e therefor, there being a pair of such posts a and braces e, and, between the braces 22, there is shown, mounted tree to rock on its pivot w, the old-time V A, and the pull-rod 15. Between the tops of the Samson-posts a, there is mounted a tubular cross-support m that is horizontally disposed and extends transversely and is formed with a central guide-channel 03 the axis of which lies at right angles to the axis of the cross-support (Fig. 9) and which is adapted and designed, and serves, to receive the rear end of the connecting-rod r. In the arrangement of parts shown in Fig. 8, the connecting-rod 7 serves as the kick-beam of the pumping jack, and it is held in its adjusted position by reason of its being engaged by the inner end of the adjustment screw :0, which acts after the manner of a set-screw and passes into the cross-support w from one end there- 01. (Fig. 9). The lower end g of the pit man 9 rides in a saddle-block 1 that is carried by the outer front end of the base-member a of the V A. The rod 7* and pitman 9 being of metal construction, they are naturally much more durable and lasting than are the wooden members of the oldtime structure that perform the same functions therein.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have shown and described the preferred form of this invention. However, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I fully realize that changes may be made in the structure herein disclosed and that I intend to include within the scope of the claims that follow hereinafter, all modifications of the preferred form disclosedthat do not depart substantially from the spirit thereof. For example, the ends 1"", W, of the rod 4" may be fitted and attached thereto in any suitable way, instead of being screwed thereon in the manner hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. A post-tree and beam-free oil-well pumping-rig devoid of support by the oilwell casing and including a V; a polish-rodactuating pitman carried by the V; a lever :tulcrumed on the V; a link that connects the lever with the pitman; a sole upon which the V is mounted free to rock; and a second link that connects the lever and the sole; the sole being provided with pivot-bearings for the V and the last-named link, and such pivot-bearings being fixed at a predetermined distance apart.

2. A post-free and beam-free oil-well pumping-rig devoid of support by the oilwell casing and including a V; a polish-rodactuating pitman carried by the V; a lever fulcrumed on the V; a link that connects the lever with the pitman; a sole upon which the V is mounted tree to rock; and a second link that connects the lever and the sole and that is provided with means for varying its efiective length; the sole being provided with pivot-bearings for the V and the lastnamed link at a fixed interval apart.

3. A post-tree and beam-free oil-well pumping-rig devoid of support by the oilwell casing and including a V; a polish-rod actuating pitman carried by the V a lever fnlcrnmed on the V; a link that connects the lever with the pitman and that is provided with means for varying its effective length; a sole upon which the V is mounted free to rock; and a second link that connects the lever and the sole; the sole beingprovided with pivot-bearings for the V and the lastnamed link, and such pivot-bearings being fixed at a predetermined distance apart.

Signed at Oil City, in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, this twentydfourth day of August, 1922, in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses.

JOHN M. WOLFE.

Signed in the presence oi H. T. PARKER, WINIFRED REID. 

